Report: Qatar Leaders to Step Down
Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani will step down in the coming weeks as part of a wider power transition that may also see the emir ceding power to his son, media reports have said.
The reports quoted sources as saying that the PM, who also serves as the foreign minister, could be replaced by Crown Prince Sheikh Tamim, until he takes over as emir when his father Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani eventually steps down.
Another option would be to replace the 53-year-old premier with his deputy, Ahmed al-Mahmoud, the sources said.
Sheikh Hamad has been Qatar's prime minister since 2007. He is also chairman of the board of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA).
Natural gas-rich Qatar has been a strong supporter of Syrian rebels hoping to overthrow the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
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